Pioneer

NOTICE. ON MAY 1st the system of placing periodicals on "I Sale or Return" comes to an end, and newsagents will regulate their wholesale orders to the actual requirements of their cus- tomers. Therefore, to ensure a copy of the Pioneer," it is necessary to place a definite order with their newsagent before, or send subscriptions direct t* the "Pioneer" Office, Williams Square, Merthyr.

I Merlhyr Miners and Combing-Out. I STRONG SPEECHES AT MASS MEETING. I JGHN WILLIAMS AND THE BALLOT OF THE COALFIELD. ij| j — I, t. Merthyr Miners met in mass meeting at Ink on Sunday afternoon to receive the ?S&?r)?+ o'f their delegates to the Oardin? II  ,M:.li'. and London M.F.G.B. conference on ''S-o t ''011 with the Government in the comb- in g-'O'ut ?? the mines, and also to consider what "'tt't-"d- they should recommend in view of the ?at) ?o??rence having turned down the Sou?," Wales demand for a complete break with t}le p ei!nment. Mr.Ben Williams, who presided «yer a. big attedane, emphasised the import- ?r? ? ?t ?? question and the urgency of the need to i to ke a firm and decisive stand in whatever di- ■iwf °n it was decided to go. OOnl{r. Geo. Danes in his report on the Cardiff i feren gave an interesting description of the toirif raised. The thing that struck him most I to?eibly was the unanimity of the coalfield in yoic its opinion with regard to the future Pollq of the S.W.M.F., and particularly the de- te, ol"110]nt of the desire for peace that was fast ilJS hold of the South Wales miners. (Cheers.) OIiCY of the coalfield was laid out along bq,¡ hne¡;; on this question of peace: (1) Peace ??j.? ?gottations—(cheers); (2) a down tools ? lcy; and, (3) to vote the coalfield on war or i  He was proud to be a member of the or ?r District, which had taken its stand for <W 8inoe the commencement of the war. To- Pl?? thov found the whole coalfield fast following ihvi,ls footsteps. (Cheers.) He did not V0er ?t this, because Merthyr had taken its &ta„j on right and truth, and this in the end teaT SUre to prevail. (Cheers.) ?fn ?? Davies, supplementing this report iiarl i delegate, amplified the discussion that hLa- ? taken place at Cardiff. Mr. Frank Hodges had the Conference that his district wanted Coalfield to be balloted to see whether the ',holild go on, and, if the decision was in Ul of peace, then they were going to forward 4 rfu i '%Olution to the Government calling for the IDPI?llillg up of peace negotiations. (Cheers.)  gesdld not secure the conference be- c?u hIs past and present attitudes were not in ?i?? n. The Lewis-Merthyr delegate told the ?Ollferenc? that his lodge had decided that as as the nuhtary touched one of their men .;¡ would down tools; and another delegate ^117-1 r--istance to the Government to force 1 «0 Peace- Mr.. Tom Richards had re- cij ed an ??inuation that the Executive Coun- ? hld acted cowardly, and had declared that he | Peris > y did not know what fear meant, Mr. ?s agreed that Tom Richards was no coward, ? ?" 'he could not think that on this question of it: 6 War the attitude of Mr. Tom Richards was thB best interests of the men. (Cheers.) It Was ?ot the duty of a men's leader to urge the Wo u8 of one country to slay those of another, W the interests of the workers the world over ? identical. (Cheers.) (j?'. Wm. Rees, the delegate to the London frence, declared that the conference was a  conference-not a Welsh conference, ot f an English conference, and not a national d n e!enc:e. Six words would be superflous to dftwi 1t for what good it was. The only bit 'of Sense in the morning was when Mr. Barker §Ho? t? ? h?s feet, and when he said that he would llot be a party to co-operation since it was  but Conscription all the Scottish dele- Rate 9'Ot on their feet and wanted to eat him. J(j d the trouble- of it was that these Scottish de- W^J.lS had no mandates from the rank and file .?? question had never been submitted. 00P'l"ons ?sre merely those of the delegates 'the I (Shame.) There was no hopes out iof Mr T i? for Scotland was war mad. rJ NVi 1l. aiiis (Miners' Agent) in a short ?arpt. ?j? that he would have been pleased to ?ve addressed them that day on the end of the tya, .n?t to his mind that was not even in sight ?t/ ? *? combing-out proposals immediately ef- ecWl in ?? cent, of the men employed in the ?a.ljR?? '? for that was the percentage of men be- ?t? ? t,ho ages of 19 and 25. So long as the war collt'.nued contingencies of men would have tAo ,bb:sent out to make up the wastage, and the ?i? Were the only big industry from which ?fa? ?umhers ??"? be taken. If the war crowd an,Neunl could be tak en. If t- l ie ivar crowfl III tell, ??? ? would be the contingencies of ?s h of ? a?<'—between 50 and 60—who would ??riM +t terrible business. This was the most (\. &c ble crlS18 in the world's history, and it was alous shame that the Miners' Federation ?n?7 "? word to say on it. What was to be h ^ther the war was right or wrong. If it -? either tlie if they right d wrong. If the? w ??' ?"? if t??y regarded it, as right, ?ro?o- Y were t? miners not in it; if it was "Iolig "ell why were they not against it? W ?hy should they shout for war so (Che^s; Why should they shoxit for war so ?Sa? oth(?. People were doing tho fighting? JJq jj held wlwn dealing with the surfacemen's ?Qg a^n' with the combing-out, with the fritter- the ??y of our rights and liberties, and with th ood quest,ion that these things were only ^ffeetg" ^he war was the cause, and he was in fciVQUi* of facing the cause instead of wasting t'H? ei; e ffects. The miners of South Wales ?ere  ?ects. The miners of South Wal?s wel. the  mganised body in the country, and ? ?&?\'h?t y cMid make its voice and influence ?eit. 3tv >e Covernment even in war time, it was tlie g time had now w l iem The time had now come when th ey th?. pn?n?g of the wav?; it was no ??ti? ?. P?? to sit on'" the fence they must declare vvhethef thev \vere" for or 4110? t tl t'h.e .I. Ti> ghastly business altogether. The,? was no question as to where ? Tno ? ?- nMr ?thy,. stood. ()Ollidlg ?" he question of balloting the claI>ed ,on \.u l' nOWRl',  Ilhams de- ??a?l(' d???? ?' ? war, Mr. Williams de-  because he, '? ???? this proposal, because, he ?tt-? ?? ? th? voluntary system ? ? tlmtf ? 1'1 7 J)een m effect the miners answer ???11?? 1 ? ??????'"? because there was r Cn^ f m the South Wales coalfield to- Of II)en ]'I the ?SOtlth -AVales coalfield to- a- ?v, 'w"'Ll JTer? ovei' ?g? ?'? get ?it??T??? T '? ? allot ..nd would not :f.'l' ,ae ton.. h th "{1 eto "ns h ? $^tary age into ??ing o ??\? A?wa? rd? ??t? age into Tau \.ÆJwar S, and ('heerl'; ) c InO' th J! ^n^nces already re- ted Williams said tlia,t it was evi- I "IS eVI- dent that. the South Wales miner was quite clear that there waa to be no more co-operation with, the Government in order to secure their young men, and he knew that the men of Merthyr would be prepared to take any measure, however drastic, to protest against this damnable thing. (Loud cheers.) On the motion of Mr. G. Davies a resolution was unanimously adopted calling upon the Ex- ecutive Council of the S.W.M.F. to re-assemble the adjourned conference with a view to formu- lating a policy for the future, and to consider the advisability of taking what steps were pos- sible to bring about an end to the war. (Cheers.) The meeting also had under consideration the question of the bad delivery of house coal at Cyfarthfa, and it was decided to back up the Dis- trict Committee and either tender notioosJ., or have a stop day if no improvement was reported within 14 days.

Merthyr Trades Council & Arrowsmitti I UNANIMOUS PR OTEST AGAINST AUTHORI-I TIES' ACTION., MR. H. EVANS AND THE LOCAL GOVERN- MENT BOARD AUDITOR. The Merthyr Trades Council on Thursday night passed a resolution of sinoore, congratula- tion with the Russian Revolutionists on the success of their fight against an oppressive and Tyrannical Government; and, appositely, asso- ciated itself whole-heartedly with the demand which is being made for the release for alterna- tive service of Wilfred Arrowsmith, the Merthyr conscientious objector, whose neglect by the pri- son and military authorities threaten serious consequences to his health, as reported in our columns last week. Mr. Hugh Williams (Tre- harris) presided in the absence of Mr. S. Jen- nings. There was a heavy post bag. Mr. A. Middle- ton, secretary to the Labour Party, wrote with respect to a batch of resolutions forwarded last month; and referred incidentally to that of the Blackpool Trades Council, calling for a, remission of the 50 per cent, advanced rail fares during the holiday months of July and August. Mr. Middleton did not think that the Board of Trade was likely to relax its regulations in this matter. There was no indications of a change of policy, indeed, all the signs had been in the other direc- tion. He also touched upon the protest with re- spect to the raiding of the shop assistants meet- ing in Glasgow; remarking that the Military Authorities held that they wo**} within their rights in taking the action they did; and were unrepentent. The Dowlais N.U.R. wrote that at their last meeting they had had under consideration an ap- peal for the A. Pearson National Institute for the Blind on behalf of those blinded in in- dustry, and had decided to ask the Trades Coun- cil to get a speaker sent down to address a meet- ing on the matter. This was agreed to. The meeting also conceded a request from Mark Starr to receive a. deputation to state the aims and objects of the Central Labour College League. The Workers' Educational Association asked for delegates to attend an Education Reconstruc- tion Conference to be held in London. It was stated that the programme set forth was not so democratic or comprehensive as that adopted at the last Labour Party Conference, to which the Merthyr Council had given its adhesion. The Secretary (W. Harris) affirmed that Mr. MoTa- vish (Secretary of the W.E.A.) would probably substitute the latter for that set forth in the W.E.A. prospectus. It was decided not to send a delegate since the Council's stand was now taken. The Merthyr I.L.P. sent in the Wilfred Ar- rowsmith resolution supported by a brief, un- varnished account of Arrowsmith's treatment as set forth in these columns last week. The re- solution read ".That this meeting of the Mer- thyr Trades and Labour Council protests most emphatically against the harsh and unjust treat- ment meted out by the militar- and civil prison authorities to Wilfred Albert Arrowsmith, a con- scientious objector, of Merthyr Tydfil, who is now undergoing his third term of imprisonment at Strangeways Gaol, Manchester, inasmuch as he has not been given an opportunity to accept work under the Alternative Service Scheme of the Home Office, and calls upon the Home Secretary to intervene forthwith." Mr. B. Brobyn, who is taking a keen interest in the case, supplemented the facts of ill-treat- ment set forth in the letter; and said that Ar- rowsmith was not whining over his treatment as would be seen from the conclusion of one of his letters, which read: "1 can keep up my spirits and smile. You can remember me to all the comrades. If my sufferings will be of any ser- vice to humanity, then I shall know that I have not suffered in vain." The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. J. Williams, of the Bricklayers, was elected as delegate to the Housing and Town Planning Conference to be held at Cory Hall, Cardiff on Saturday. Mr. H. Evans in his report as one of the La- bour Guardians, dealt with the visit of the L.G.B. Auditor to the Board. Some time ago, said Mr. Evans, the auditor had asked that a deputation of 10 ol-, -1 members of the Board should meet him in order that lie might lay be- fore them some points in connection with the finances of the Guardians. He was one of the deputation and nearly the whole time of the in- terview was taken up with the strike relief of 1912. During that time something like was distributed by way of loan to about 2,000 people. The collection of that had lead to all the trouble, since, in the opinion of the auditor, the Guardians had not done their duty by squeezing this money out of people as he thought they should have done, with the result that something like f:700 was left, which the auditor considered- a dead loss. But of that £ 700, about R350 had been wiped out because the men had joined the colours. It would take a very clever man to I collect every penny of a debt fom 2,000 people. The fault lay, according to the auditor, in a change in the method of collecting. Originally a oollector was appointed and he did very well, collecting about £ 900 up to the time when he was dismissed and the work put upon the re- lieving officers. A great deal of the outstanding money was due to deaths, illnesses, removals, and sheer inability to pay the money, but the auditor said that he would surcharge this L700 on the guardians who altered the system of collecting the debt. The auditor dealt also with the Barry case, which prv>mised to become fa- mous indeed. Someone waa egging on the audi- tor, and they were going to get a mandamus to take it to the High Court and recover the money from the Guardians. The point was that the Guardians took the advice of their clerk, who said they had the power to wipe out orders whether maSe by themselves or by Magistrates, whilst the auditor contended that they had no power to touch a Magistrate's Order. They were going to be loyal to their clerk, and let the Courts decide the point. The auditor also con- tended that the charges for members visiting in- stitutions where they had children were exorbi- tant. Mr. Evans also mentioned that the West Ham Guardians had at last consented to pay 6s. each for two children boarded out here, in con- nection with which they had previously refused to pay more than 3s. each. Councillor LI. M. Francis in his report on Town Council activity during the month, said that the allotments were getting on very suc- cessfully. The demand for plots was now slow- ing down, and if there were any people who wanted land, if they would apply to the Town Clerk, they would experience little difficulty in getting it. Touching upon the teachers' bonus, and its poor comparison with other Corporation workers, Mr. Francis said the teachers' only re- medy was to be linked up with the other trades unions. He was very critical on Borough Fi- nances, especially commenting on the Taff Fechan Reservoir, in connection with which he declared that water was being sold to outside authorities at much less than it cost, and no one squealed because big companies inside and out- side the town were benefitting. The cemeteries did not pay either; and the result would be that within a few weeks a resolution would be tabled that the price of graves in the district be recon- sidered, and the probability was that it would cost more to bury relatives in the future. If the Labour Party had been listened to we should have had municipal enterprises in the town which would have made it possible to have prac- ticed real economies amounting to 7d. or 8d. in the £ to-day, instead of the big schemes which brought in no money, that we had. Mr. B. Brobyn asked Councillor Francis whether the Corporation had taken any steps to eatFry out the fencing in .n with the al- lotmellts. Councillor Francis replied that the order for barbed wire had been placed some time, but the manufacturers stated that the War Office had first call, and that the Council order would be executed at the earliest possible moment. Mr. B. Brobyn said it was time men were planting their gardens, but where he had his al- lotment was overrun by ponies, dogs, fowls, and other live stock, with the result that the holders could not get on with their planting. He did not think that the council was doing what it could in this matter. Originally it was stated that there was no labour obtainable to do the work, but if that was the difficulty let them provide the materials and the men would fence their plots themselves. The resolution of congratulations to Russia was that generally adopted by Labour through- out the country. In the course of moving and seconding exception was taken to the fact that Messrs. O'Grooy and Thorns had been sent as Labour's representation to Russia. Great hopes were expressed with regard to the May Musical Festival, the Council is organ- ising, and Mr. W. Harris, secretary, stated that Dr. Williams and Mr. Price had consented to act as adjudicators in the musical section, and the Rev. J. Morgan J ones in olocution; whilst E. Morrell, Esq., would conduct, and Mr. R. Howells (Abernant), the finest accompanist in Wales, had been secured.

Banned Publications. SAVING THE NOBEL COMMITTEE F^OM CORRUPTION. The National Peace Council has received the following letter from the War Office With reference to your letter of March 3rd on the subject of the export of certain publica- tions destined for the Nobel Committee of the Norwegian Parliament ,1 am directed to inform yon that it is considered undesirable that any of the following should lie included in the con- signment (1) Any publications of the National Labour Press. (2) Any publications of the Union of Demo- cratic Control. (3) Any publications containing the writings! of any of the following authors: Messrs. I Bertrand Russell, Arthur Ponsonby, E. D. Morel, C. M. Trevelyan, Norman Angell, Philip Snowden, C. R. Buxton, and A. Lowes Dickinson. (4) The. following publications specified in the list which you have forwarded Common Sen,%e, rhe Herald." "Thf Tribunal," "What we are fighting for." "Peace this Winter," "The Socialist Review," To- wards TJltimate Harmony." I am accordingly to request you that yott will forward to this department a written guarantee that none of the foregoing will be exported under any permit for the remainder of the con- signment which may he issued to YOll.-I am, your obedient servant, G. S. H. Pearson (Chief Postal Censor)." If this sort of thing goes on there will cer- tainly be jealousy in progressive circles To be banned for foreign circulation is becoming "the thing." It would be interesting to know if ill the copies of Hansard, which report Mr. Snow- den's speeches, for instance, are not allowed out of the country And does the War Office real "Common Sense" or is its name enough to damnitintheireyesp

I Down a Penny. I I BUDGET DAY AT MERTHYR COUNCIL. I HEAVY INCREASE IN EDUCATION COUN- 1 TER-BALANCED BY GENERAL DISTRICT SAVING, Merthyr rates are to be reduced from lis. 3d. to lis. 2d. in the £ for the financial year 1917-18, and a greater saving than this would have been effected had it not been for the in- crease, equal by a H-d. rate, necessitated for educational purposes,. This was decided upon and explained at the Borough Finance Com- mittee, and subsequent Council meeting, last Friday. In ait interesting Budget, the Borough Comptroller (Mr. W. R. Harris) pointed out that from a summary of the statements of esti- mated expenditure from the various Commit- tees, as finally revised, the estimated charges on the Borough .Fund amounted to R59,112, and the income from sources other than rates to £ 6,056; leaving £ 53,056 to be found for such expenditure; the estimated eypenditure through the General District Fund was shown at £ 61,371; with income other than rates, R12,169, so that a sum of £49,202 would have to 'ioo raised by General District rate. Dealing with the L53,056 to be raised for Borough Fund purposes, Mr. Harris pointed out that L32,000 was required for elementary edu- cation, and £ 60,000 for secondary education; EI,030 was allocated as Free Library rate, and zCI,478 in aid of cemeteries revenue Watch Committee expenses were put down at £ 5,924; and £ 3,050 was the contribution to the Glamor- gan County Council, for which Merthyr was said to be liable; whilst L2,171 was set aside for General charges, salaries, printing, elections, etc. The estimate of £ 53,056 for Borough Fund purposes was £ 1,578 more than was called for last year from this fund, and was brought about by an increased call of ?2,000 by the Education Committee, ?6300 for Cemeteries, and £ 17 on Joint Asylum account, but, on the other side, there were decreased calls for Law and Parlia- mentary charges (2125) and for general charges ( £ 614). The Education Committee's actual expenditure last year was a little less than was called for, and this, together with a slight increase in in- come, increased the balance on the Committee's account by 21,100. The estimates on Elemen- tary Education showed an increase of L3,243 on last year, and towards this the Committee had applied the £1,000 by which the balance was in- creased, so that instead if calling for L33,000 shown to be required, the Committee reoom- mended a call for k32,000 only, making £ 2,000 more than was called for last year. The second- ary education estimates showed slight increases, but these were anticipated to be met out of ad- vanced income, and so the call was the same as last year— £ 6,000; making it necessary to issue a, precept for L30,000 for education this year. The increased call of tl,,378 on the total Bor- ough Fund was equivalent to a rate of Ilid., and was attributable to the increased call for education, relieved by the reduced expenditure of other committees. The £ 49,202 estimated for General District Fund purposes, included £ 29,733 for Public Works (highways, sewage, scavenging, repay- ment of loans and interest); t4,197 Health Com- mittee, R3,560 Parks, R4,986 Finance Commit- tee (including allowances to dependents), and 23,792 in aid of water revenue. On this account the total estimated expenditure amounted to £ 2,660 less than last year's estimates; and an additional E2,200 was to be, transferred from the exchequer contribution account towards the maintenance of main roads, so that the call upon the rates for estimated expenditure amounted to £ 4,860 less than was called for last year. During, the past twelve months the several Spending Committees exercised considerable re- straint upon expenditure on works under their control, and a substantial balance had been built up from which to meet the heavy calls for labour and materials that would be made on those committees in a short while. The Public Works Committee's actual expenditure was £ 5,450 less than the estimated Health Com- mittee's £ 130 less; Parks Committee's JB920 less, and Finance Committee's over £ 1,000 less. To cover the estimated expenditure a General District Rate of 3d. less than last year would be required; made up of 4s. Id. for General District and Sanitary purposes, and td. each for Museum purposes, and Welsh National Memor- ial Association contribution. The nett result of all this would be a decrease of 3d. on General District rate as compared with last year, and an increase of l jd. on the call for Borough Fund purposes, necessitated by the increased educa- tion expenditure. If the same restraint upon their expenditure has been exercised by the Overseers and Guardians of the Union, there will probably be a reduction of something further on the total rates levied," said Mr. Harris; a pas- sage which led Councillor L. M. Francis to en- quire why criticism of the Guardians should have been incorporated in the report. Mr. Har- ris, in reply, said that this was not a criticism but merely an observation prompted by the na- ture of the task he had undertaken. Councillor Marsh. seemed. to think that it would have been possible to make a greater re- duction on the General District Rate than had been indicated. Aid- John, reverting to the previous question, asked whether the Guardians had vet made a call upon the Overseers, and was told that the call would mean an increase of td. on last year. Councillor F. A. Phillips asked whether a fur- ther d. or Id. reduction could not be made by encroach ing oil the balances, but the Chairman (Councillor Williams) pointed out that if the balance's were depleted there would be nothing with which to meet the sterile first two months of the year, and the possibility of interest on a heavy overdraft made the experiment hazard- ous and not worth while. Mr. Harris, as council finance officer, also de- precated the suggestion, and advised the, levying of the rates recommended in his report, because tliev were in the position of making the rates for a year; they did not know when the men would come back, but he did know that when they did come back the Council would keep its promise and omploy them, and they would have to have materials with which to work. If they hrtd no money in the balances, how would they do it? It waa necessary to nurse the finances fcr these men. The report wa& adopted, and the meeting then turu-j.'i into the special Council meeting for the laying of the rate, the Mayor (Councillor Haa- key taking Mr. William's place in the chair. Councillor .?. A. Phillips then asked what the rate for the financial year 1916-17 had been, and was tcld lie. 3d. in the £ for the whole year. Preceding, he said he took it then, that if the Borough Comptroller's suggestion were adopted it wt ula mean a saving of Hà. in the j6, but if the Guardians and Overseers found it necessary to call for a lid. advance, it would mean a total of lis. 2d., or a saving of Id. in the £ He was wondering whether it was not possible for this-year tt get a rate made at lis. in the L, if the Overseers and Guardians would help. He was very anxious to keep the rates down, so aa to facilitate the raising of necessary money, at the easiest possible interest, but, at the same time, he fully conceded the desirability of main- taining the balances. Mr. Harris in reply said that he thought the amount recommended should be levied for the first six months at any rate; and he was asking for the issuing of a precept for the first six months only. He was doing this because he be- lieved that the proposals outlined by Dr. Fisher (Minster for Education) in the House the pre- vious evening would be adopted; and if adopted there was no question that Merthyr would get relief. But that relief would not be forthcoming for the first six months, and the Corporation would want money to carry on until September. If the jjpoposals came in this fiscal year, the re- lief w<- via not be forthcoming until October, and then upon last year's figures. Therefore, they ooaid not anticipate any reduction for education for this half-year. Co i ncillor Phillips moved and Councillor Fran- cis seconded that the rate be made for six nru r.ths only. Councillor D. W. Jones opposed this. He did not like to break from the custom of laying the rate for the full year; because he saw no pros- pects of a reduction, and it was foolish to raisa anticipations that could not be fulfilled. Even if the ai ticipated assistance for education was fort-jc, ming from the Exchequer it would have to bf- spent in raising teachers' salaries, and in providing more teachers, and teachers of a better class. That was clear from the state- ment of the Minister for Education already re- ferred to. He movi-d that the precepts 'be levied for the full twelve months as usual. This was seconded, and the original motion to levy on six months only having been withdrawn,, was carried ;the rate to be levied in two kaIf- years—April and October, at 2s. Id. for eaft half-year.

Working it Off on Conscientious Objectors. VICAR INCITES TO DEMONSTRATIONS AT PRINCETOWN. The civilian population and the stay-at-home military and the jackals of the Northcliffe press are beginning to show very definite hostility to- wards the C.O.'s who are working at Princetown. More than once the men have been attacked and rather severely knocked about. This is due in part at least to the direct incitement of the local press. Recently a letter appeared from the Vicar of Walkampton inciting to this sort of de- monstration, with the result that five men who attended the evening service at Walkhampton were attacked by the congregation at the close. It is, of course, very trying to see men living up to their principles when these principles do not happen to coincide with your own-but it is still more trying when at the back of your mind you have a suspicion that they may be right and you wrong. Is this what the populace is suffering from ? The Vicar of Walkampton at least is justly incensed at men who actually practice the Christianity which he is paid to preach. If everyone were to foHow their example he would be out of a job

I A French C.O. THE DIFFERENCE OF TREATMENT IN THE TWO COUNTRIES. M. Joanny Justin Bouquet, a French con- scientious objector, resident in this country for the past ten years, was summarily arresteT am d taken to Paddington Police Station recently un- dfer a deportation order, signed by the Secretary of State. On the 19th instant at the police-station ait attempt was made to persuade M. Bouquet to sign a document. Upon his refusal three men attempted by force to place his thumb mark in lieu of signature to the document. M. Bouquet did not appear before any Tri- bunal because he did not understand the Mili- tary Service Act. He is unconnected with any political or pacifist movement. By trade he is an artist in jewellery designing, and has some engineering skill. For some time previously he has been hounded out of one situation after an- other by the police. If he is sent back to France he will be invited three times to join the army. If (as he will) he persists in his refusal he will be shot-, or sent to. the front trenches, where he will probably be kiUed by the enemy. killed by the case reversed and M. Bouquet an Englishman in .France, he would be given the choice of deportation to the U.S.A., Spain, or England. We give no choice but persecution and? death. But our War Office must often wish than this were France. When you've shot a. man you have no more trouble with him or his opinions.

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